A cypherpunk in Baghdad (was re: giantlaser: Ali Baba returns)

[R. A. Hettinga]

It looks like Ryan's going to Baghdad...

Same as it ever was.

Click the link to see details, like a pic or two. :-).

Tyler's been running a sattelite ISP there for about a year. I've been
reading his LJ for about 6 months now, or so. Great story.
Anarchocapitalism at its finest, ladies and germs...

Cheers,
RAH
--------

<http://www.livejournal.com/users/giantlaser/48523.html>
Tyler (??) (?giantlaser) wrote,
@ 2004-07-18 13:24:00
  ?  ?
Ali Baba returnsslownewsday and I woke last night to a battle outside our
house.  Two thieves (Ali Babas) dressed in black were sneaking around the
back garden of our neighbor.  It isn't clear who fired first, or how it
started at all.  What is clear is that the guards on my roof (over our
bedroom) opened up with multiple rifles in short automatic bursts.  The
thieves may have responded with pistols, but clearly decided they were
outgunned and beat feet.

Jayme and I didn't know any of this when it happened.  We bolted from bed
and silently dressed in the first thing at hand, our pajamas.  Note to self
- emergency pants.  Jayme put on her armor and I took my med kit, and we
went to check what happened.  My heart was beating and my mind raced.  The
firing had ceased after 15 seconds of exchange or so, but it was very close
with no distant return fire.  Is it Ali Baba?  Insurgents?  Something
really serious?  Can we defend the house or do we make a running retreat? 
Protective, aggressive caveman hovered beneath my consciousness.  I could
feel everything around me, including my own hands shaking as they grabbed
spare magazines.  Then I was holding my pistol, and I was still and ready. 
Strange.

I advanced down the hall cop-style with my gun made ready with my arms in
lowered shooting stance.  It seemed like a good idea at the time - it's
what cops do, right?  Outside, I found Kak Jalal (the former Brig. General)
talking to the guards.  He looked me up and down, and laughed.  He must
have seen thousands of young men like that, armed and scared.  I dropped
the cop stance.

It was all over by the time we were outside.  We went back to bed.  The
post-panic sex was fantastic.

So we're reviewing security.  The approach the thieves might have taken is
covered by a guard post (over my bedroom), a 3-meter wall, and razor wire. 
However, it's dark on the far side of the wall.  Noor al Dien (my personal
guard and faithful manservant *) spoke to the neighbor.  The neighbor
thanked him for guarding the neighborhood and asked us to install a light
that shines into his yard.  He doesn't have a generator, so he can't power
a light reliably.  This is good news for us, because we wanted to do this
anyway but we didn't want to irritate the neighbors.  Well, irritate them
more than the razor wire and periodic gun battles already do.

* I love saying "faithful manservant".

We're adding the lights and working on better coordination between the
guards.  Some were more careful and gave measure warning shots.  Some
decided that overwhelming fright was the best tactic, in order to
discourage repeat visits.  I can't really argue with that, except for the
part where it scares the shit out of me.


(Post a new comment) octal
2004-07-18 04:39  (link)

Amusing that this happens the day before I show up :) Webcams on the
perimeter would be fun, too.

I think I'll try to get a III + IV vest for the car; is it worth bothering
with a coolmax and a IIA concealable?

Also, battle dressings seem like a REALLY good idea.

Pistol? Why not the AK?

I've never really had a problem with confronting people with a gun while
naked; if it shocks them for even a second, it's a plus for me. Heh.

What are "warning shots"? As in center-of-mass hits on the targets, which
the others find out about before attacking again?

(Reply to this) (Thread) giantlaser
2004-07-18 06:48  (link)

Vest is your call - the hard part is finding one. I don't wear one, but
Jayme was issued one by her company.

We carry battle dressings and tampons (stick them in wounds) at all times.
1/3 of my normal man-bag (read: European Carry-All, or purse) is devoted to
bulletwound care.

I went shooting with the AK a few days ago. It performed poorly - aim is
fine, but after 30 rounds it heats up and jams frequently. I won't carry a
weapon that's going to get me killed at a random time in the future.

Killing is a very serious thing here. Even if they are thieves, we pay
fassel if we kill them. So you give them a chance to flee before taking
serious aim.

A real attack is one thing. Simple thieves are another.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) travisd
2004-07-18 15:27  (link)

If you capture them though, can you demand ransom for their return?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) giantlaser
2004-07-18 22:46  (link)

Uh, yes. :) But it's not a wise business to get into. Our engineers are far
too vulnerable as they travel around to make a profit on ransom possible.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
habibi
2004-07-18 08:18  (link)

wow!

(Reply to this)
valiss
2004-07-18 08:41  (link)

Another note-to-self: emergency shoes. Nothing like trying to flee from a
building when glass is all over the floor.

(Reply to this)
gori11a
2004-07-18 09:21  (link)

In Nairobi, our Askari ("night guard"? There's no real translation) carried
Rungas, which are short narrow clubs with knotted gnarls at the end.
Bandits usually were armed with Machettes. A siren and spinning light alarm
on the top of a house would summon all the Askaris on the block to beat the
bandits to within an inch of their lives.

It was not uncommon for an Askari to be found asleep on his watch.

I'm glad guns weren't as prevalent there as they seem to be in Baghdad.

(Reply to this)
cambler
2004-07-18 10:14  (link)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I look forward to your book
more than you can know.

(Reply to this)

re: turns of phrase
(Anonymous)
2004-07-18 12:30  (link)

"faithful manservant", eh?
"aide-de-camp" is also very good.

(Reply to this)
pinkish
2004-07-18 23:55  (link)

What about good ole motion sensor lights? Scare the shit out of me walking
by someone's garage at 4am.

(Reply to this)

 (Post a new comment)

-- 
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'